Right now, people expect a lot more out of vehicular safety than they are perhaps getting. There are a lot of different issues that cause car accidents. We most often associate car accidents, of course, with preventable problems. These include driving under the influence, as well distracted driving. But the problem is that some car accidents occur because people have to drive on roads that are less than perfect. For example, you may have to commute on icy roads, or for that matter roads that are winding and turning. Additionally, it’s not impossible for vehicles to suffer from mechanical failures. With that being said, there are a lot of issues that need to be considered as you hit the road. But what is being done in order to prevent some of these issues from occurring in the first place?
A lot of emphasis is understandably placed on personal responsibility. But that personal responsibility isn’t always going to keep you from driving off the road. We also need to consider how we can ultimately make cars and motorcycles safer. Fortunately, there are a lot of advances being made in terms of vehicle-related technology. Below are just a few of those advances, and how they can potentially make a big difference for the future of road safety.
1. The Apple Car
It’s an unfortunate reality that cars are not as safe as they should be. There are thousands of vehicular accidents each year, and the fact is that a lot of them could be prevented if the cars in question were updated. There has been a near-constant cry for cars that are safer to drive and more advanced. It should come as no surprise that Apple has thrown its hat into the ring, with the tech giant recently being granted a series of new patents related to the Apple Car. Now, these patents apply to several different features and functionalities. Some of them ultimately may not be featured in the final design for the Apple Car, or at least not the first edition. But they could very well be important parts of the next models.
A big part of the future for cars, of course, is the concept of self-driving. Self-driving vehicles would take away the risks associated with people driving drunk or distractedly. Additionally, self-driving cars are less likely to drive on unsafe roads, as they could potentially be triggered into pulling over if road conditions are registered as too poor. Self-driving cars will also simply be more convenient for drivers, and make it easier for them to get where they want to go without having to think too much about it.
Another patent being considered, of course, is an occupant safety system based on airbags. This system is going to be put in place to accommodate what happens when a car is not facing the dashboard or steering wheel, which is where airbags are usually located. There are often limited options today, and therefore more of a likelihood that occupants will be seriously injured if they are not facing the steering wheel or dashboard. Ideally, Apple cars will have more varied reaction surfaces. Therefore, when accidents do happen, it will be more likely that people will be cushioned by airbags.
2. Tactile Mobility
You may or may not have heard of Tactile Mobility before. This company is going to be making waves in the automobile industry, changing the way that we use our cars potentially for the long term. Tactile Mobility aims to keep cars from continuing into dangerous road conditions and to stop accidents before they happen. The way this technology works is that it essentially created a kind of road sensing ability for cars. All cars have sensors previously built into them, at least if they were built within the last few decades or so. These sensors can detect wheel speed, engine RPMs, the steering angle, brake pedal positions, and other important pieces of data that will determine a car’s ability to keep moving forward as needed. These sensors can also be put to work to determine the conditions of the road as the car drives. For example, through measuring a vehicle’s wheel slip, a Tactile Mobility’s technology can determine whether or not roads are icy.
How does this work? Essentially, Tactile Mobility relies upon artificial intelligence to collect information about the roads in real-time. Additionally, this AI will gather information about the cars themselves as they traverse the roads. The great thing about this technology is that it can potentially be applied to a broad range of cars, including popular types like Subarus, which sold about 43,000 models in the U.S. through 2014 alone. With this kind of wide-ranging type of technology, so much is possible.
3. Motorcycle Updates
There are many ways through which motorcycles are being updated right now, and with good reason. Historically, motorcycles have been considered more challenging to control than standard cars, with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reporting that the number of fatal motorcycle accidents in 2017 came in at 5,127. Although this was a 3% drop from the year before, far too many people are still dying because of motorcycles. Fortunately, the technology on the way could be among the solutions needed.
For example, anti-lock braking systems, which were already available in cars, are being applied to motorcycles. The reason why this is so important is that these systems can actually sense when brakes are about to lock up and prevent that from happening, which is crucial for motorcycle riders. Additionally, the airbag issue of motorcycles (that they are incapable of effectively offering them) is being addressed through airbag clothing. Vests, jackets, and bodysuits can save motorcyclists from almost certain death. Other systems typically sen in cars that are being applied to motorcycles include adaptive headlights, which are particularly important for those riding in the dark or bad weather.
Clearly, there are issues that need to be corrected in vehicular technology. But the fortunate thing that we are well on our way to changing that with valuable technology updates.
